Monday, June 25, 2012

A Close Call

This is a letter sent to us from a USSA family:

It was just another family day in our pool, with Lily sitting on the stairs playing with her water toys. Since starting swim lessons Lily has become more adventurous, and on that day, decided she wanted to float on a raft with her sister. We were excited! While drifitng in the center of our pool, with daddy close by, her older sister playfully flipped the raft and Lily went under and instantly began to sink. In a state of PANIC I was ready to jump in and my husband wasalready swimming to her.

What happened next still has us speechless! That is when we saw Lily pop-up out of the water for air and frantically look for the stairs. Lily then put her arms straight out in front of her (that is the "superman" glide she learned!). She began kicking vigorously until she reached the stairs. Keep in mind it was half the length ofof our pool! Once she was safe, she began coughing for she obviously swallowed water. To our amazement she NEVER cried! When we asked Lily if she was okay, she said yes and went right back in the water! Really?!

My husband and I were in shock! Our Lily used to cry in the bath tub if you splashed water on her face. Now she has the confidence to swim! The fact that she applied what Coach Diane taught her (in under 10 lessons) when in a state of PANIC no less...has my husband and I convinced that what Lily has learned at the US Swim Academy is PRICELESS!!

Since this incident and further lessons with Coach Diane, Lily has a new found passion for swimming. It is going to make this summer all that more fun for our family.

I am sharing this story with all parents so they can see that lessons are a necessity and that they DO work!!The confidence and trust that Coach Diane has established with our daughter is amazing and has meant so much to us all. We will always be grateful.